The Language of the Future
Sufi Terminology
by Murshid F.A. Ali ElSenossi
al-wujud al-asli al-idafi
Existence-fundamental and relative
(Wujud al asli al idafi). The existence of the entities belongs to Allah in the state of their being qualified by non-existence in themselves. Their existence is fundamental and relative.
(Wujud). Being, existence or finding. When considered as 'being', wujud designates Allah's Own Reality and Essence. When considered as 'existence', wujud designates the things found in the cosmos. When considered as 'finding' wujud designates the subjective experience of finding Allah or having awareness of Allah. The Verifiers and the People of Unveiling and Finding continually and everlastingly find Allah both in the cosmos and within themselves.
(Wajib al wujud bil ghayr). That which is made necessary through another being whose existence is necessary in itself'. This is the possible or contingent thing. Its existence depends totally upon Allah, Who is Necessary Being. The slave of Allah has utter awareness of this situation. Lordship is the most exalted level and slavehood is the lowest level. There is nothing more lowly than to be subject to the locus of nothingness and to stand in need of another for one's own existence. The knower knows that there is only One Existence yet, through his perfect spiritual courtesy towards his Lord, he always clings to his slavehood.
(Ayan al Thabita). The immutable entities or fixed prototypes or established essences or potentialities. These are the infinite and immutable Possibilities which are fixed in the Ipseity. The fixed entities are the images of the Divine Names and Qualities and 'things' of the Ipseity in the Presence of Knowledge, with specific individuation. The term signifies the essential character of every individual existing from eternity in the Divine Knowledge. They are established according to non-existence and they are not qualified by existence.
(Wajib al wujud) is that reality which cannot not be, in contrast to the 'possible things' (mumkin) and 'impossible things' (mumtani'). The impossible thing is that which cannot exist within the cosmos but may nonetheless exist within the mind of man. The Realm of Imagination is the place of 'impossible things'. The existence of the 'possible thing' depends totally upon the desire of Necessary Being (wajib al wujud) to turn His Attentiveness towards it and bring it into existence. Wajib al wujud may also mean Necessary Finding. Allah finds Himself and cannot not find Himself. The entity may or may not find itself and Allah. The 'finding' depends upon Allah's giving preponderance to the entity's finding Allah.
